1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to systems and methods for measuring properties of conductive layers. Certain embodiments relate to a pin having a substantially planar contact surface that may be disposed within a probe and a system that may include multiple probes configured to measure a property of a conductive layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor fabrication processes typically involve a number of processing steps to form various features and multiple levels of a semiconductor device. For example, ion implantation may be used to introduce impurity materials such as dopant ions into a region of a semiconductor substrate. An implanted region may form a junction of a semiconductor device such as lightly doped drain (xe2x80x9cLDDxe2x80x9d) and source/drain (xe2x80x9cS/Dxe2x80x9d) junctions. Rapid thermal annealing may be used to electrically activate the implanted regions of the semiconductor substrate thereby substantially completing the formation of the junctions. Because ion implantation offers several advantages over diffusion doping, it is increasingly becoming an integral processing step of semiconductor fabrication.
Ion implantation systems may be among the most sophisticated and complex systems utilized in semiconductor fabrication. In order to be utilized efficiently, therefore, ion implantation systems may require extensive monitoring to ensure that such systems and ion implantation processes are performing within process constraints. For example, ion implantation processes may be monitored by assessing implant dose, implantation depth profile, uniformity of implant dose across a semiconductor substrate, and uniformity of implant dose across multiple semiconductor substrates. Ideally, extensive monitoring of ion implantation processes takes place during both process development and process control of manufacturing processes. For example, process control of ion implantation manufacturing processes may involve in situ monitoring of implant dose. Accurately monitoring implant dose, however, may be difficult because measurements of implant dose are generally based on integrating the beam current. Error sources may be introduced into measurement of an integrated beam current by interactions between the beam and electrons, neutrals, and negative ions as well as secondary particles which may be emitted as a result of ion bombardment of the target.
An additional process control method that may be used to monitor and assess an ion implantation process may involve determining sheet resistance of implanted regions of a semiconductor substrate using a four-point probe technique. The four-point probe technique may involve using a colinear probe arrangement, which may be positioned to contact implanted regions on the semiconductor wafer. The probe may include four pins that may be disposed in various arrangements. Suitable pins may be commercially available, for example, from Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc., Willow Grove, Pa. and Jandel Engineering Limited, England. During operation of the probe, a current may be passed between two outer pins, and a voltage drop may be measured across two inner pins. The measurement may be performed twice to eliminate thermoelectric heating and cooling errors in the measurements. For example, a first measurement may involve passing a current in a first direction, which may be referred to as the forward direction. A second measurement may involve passing a current in a second direction, which may be opposite to the first direction. The second direction may be referred to as the reverse direction. Voltage drop results from the two measurements may be averaged. In addition, a measurement may also be performed at several different current levels because measuring at an improper current may cause the forward and reverse results to differ or may cause the results to drift. Sheet resistance may be determined from the measured voltage drop and current. In addition, sheet resistance may be used to determine characteristics of an implanted region such as implant dose and implantation depth profile. Sheet resistance may also be used to determine characteristics of a conductive layer such as thickness.
Currently available systems that may be configured to determine sheet resistance of implanted semiconductor substrates and conductive layers using a four-point probe technique may include four pins. Each of the four pins may have a contact surface that contacts a conductive layer during measurement. The contact surface of each pin may be rounded or semi-circular. In this manner, a cross-sectional area of each pin, in a plane substantially parallel to the contact surface, may be smallest at the contact surface of the pin and may increase along a length of the pin extending laterally from the contact surface. In addition, the contact surface may be abraded due to contact between the pin and an upper surface of a conductive layer during measurement and a ceramic plate during conditioning. Therefore, since the cross-sectional area of the pin increases along a length of the pin, the surface area of the contact surface may also increase due to such abrasion.
Currently, a pin disposed within a probe may be conditioned until an appropriate surface area may be obtained. For example, a pin may be conditioned to increase a surface area of a contact surface of the pin until the surface area may be large enough to reduce a contact resistance of the pin. A contact resistance of the pin may be reduced such that the contact resistance may not adversely effect measurements. An appropriate surface area may be determined by monitoring improvements in the repeatability of measurements performed with the probe. For example, a surface area at which sufficiently low contact resistance may not be achieved may be determined by an inability to achieve improved probe qualification results after repeated probe conditioning. An appropriate surface area may also be determined by removing the probe from a measurement system and measuring a surface area of a contact surface of each pin within the probe. As such, determining an appropriate surface area may be very time consuming.
Once an appropriate surface area may be obtained, the probe may be used to measure a property of conductive layers. During such measurements, however, a surface area of the contact surface of the probe will continue to increase due to abrasion between the contact surface and a conductive layer. Such continual increases in surface area may also significantly limit the probe life because measurements performed with the probe may change over time. In addition, a pin may be used until the surface area of the contact surface may be larger than a surface area at which sufficiently low contact resistance may not be achieved. If a pin may not achieve a sufficiently low contact resistance, the pin may be replaced with a new pin. Alternatively, a pin which may not be able to achieve a sufficiently low contact resistance may be removed from the probe. A contact surface of the pin may be re-shaped, and the pin may be re-installed in the probe.
Additionally, a surface area of each of the contact surfaces of the four pins may not increase uniformly due to non-uniform abrasion between the contact surfaces of each of the four pins and a conductive layer or a conditioning plate. As such, variations in the results obtained from using such a probe may be more difficult to detect and correct. Furthermore, as the depth of implanted regions of a semiconductor substrate decreases, sheet resistance measurements of the implanted regions may become more dependent on the surface area of the contact surface. In this manner, a range of acceptable surface areas for the contact surfaces of the pins may be reduced. Therefore, pins which have rounded or spherical contact surfaces may have an increased probability of error and a significantly reduced lifetime for accurately measuring sheet resistance such implanted regions.
Currently available four point probe may be configured to accommodate only one probe at a time. Typically, each type of probe may be configured to perform only a subset of the measurements that may be required for fabricating a semiconductor device. For example, a probe may be configured to measure sheet resistance of a very thick metallization layer. Such a probe configuration, however, may not be appropriate for measuring sheet resistance of a lightly doped implanted region such as an ultra shallow junction. In this manner, performing different types of measurements may require manually removing and replacing the probe. As such, performing measurements typically required for semiconductor device fabrication may involve manually removing and replacing a probe approximately 10 times in approximately 8 hours such that different measurements may be performed. Therefore, an operator may spend a significant amount of time manually removing and replacing a probe depending on the number and the type of measurements that are performed with such a system. Furthermore, such routine manual operation may prevent using such systems in automated semiconductor fabrication facilities such as facilities, which may be used to fabricate semiconductor devices on 300 mm semiconductor substrates.
Manually removing and replacing a probe may also reduce process yield because manual operation of such systems may increase the potential for contamination of the system and contamination of semiconductor substrates processed in the system. In addition, manual operation of such systems may increase the potential for random error. For example, currently available systems may not be configured to determine the type of probe which is disposed within the system. Therefore, an operator may install the wrong probe in such a system and may unknowingly perform measurements for which the installed probe may not be suitable. Overall semiconductor device fabrication may also take longer due to manual operation of such systems. As such, overall cost of fabricating a semiconductor device may increase, and manufacturing capacity may decrease.
Currently available four point probe systems may also be configured for manual conditioning and qualification. Probe conditioning may be performed to remove contaminants on contact surfaces of a probe. For example, contact surfaces of a probe may have surface imperfections such as rough surfaces. Contamination, therefore, may accumulate in tiny crevices in the contact surfaces. As contamination accumulates on contact surfaces of the probe, contact between the contact surfaces and a semiconductor substrate degrades. Conditioning may involve manually inserting a small conditioning plate onto a platen proximate to the contact surfaces of the probe. The ceramic plate may be used to abrade the contact surfaces of the probe thereby removing contaminants from the contact surfaces. Subsequent to conditioning, qualification of the probe may be performed to determine if contamination has been sufficiently removed such that the probe may be used for measurement. Furthermore, conditioning and qualification may also need to be performed iteratively several times until the probe meets qualification standards. Conditioning and qualification may involve manually initiating loading and unloading of a semiconductor substrate and manually switching the system function between conditioning and qualification. In this manner, manually performing conditioning and qualification may take in excess of several hours to complete. Consequently, manual conditioning and qualification may be extremely costly and time consuming.
Accordingly, it may be advantageous to improve the performance of a system configured to measure a property of a conductive layer, for example, by reducing variation in surface area of contact surfaces of a probe and manual operation of the system.
An embodiment of the invention relates to a pin configured to be disposed within a probe. The probe may be configured to measure a property of a conductive layer. For example, the probe may be configured to measure sheet resistance and/or thickness of the conductive layer. The conductive layer may include an implanted region of a semiconductor substrate such as an ultra shallow junction. In addition, the conductive layer may be a layer formed on a semiconductor substrate such as a metallization layer or a feature formed on a semiconductor substrate such as a gate electrode. The conductive layer may also be formed on a semiconductor substrate having a diameter of greater than approximately 200 mm. The conductive layer may also include a metal film formed on a glass substrate having a diameter of approximately 200 mm to approximately 300 mm. The conductive layer, however, may include any appropriate conductive layer known in the art.
In an embodiment, the pin may include a contact surface configured to contact the conductive layer during measurement. The contact surface may be substantially planar. The pin may also have a first portion extending from the contact surface. The first portion of the pin may extend from the contact surface along an axis that may be substantially perpendicular to the contact surface. A cross-sectional area of the first portion, which may be defined in a direction substantially parallel to the contact surface, may also be substantially equal to a surface area of the contact surface across a length of the first portion of the pin. Therefore, since the cross-sectional area of the pin may be substantially constant along a length of the first portion, the surface area of the contact area may be substantially constant over time despite abrasion of the contact surface due to use such as measurements and conditioning.
In an embodiment, the contact surface of the pin may have a width of less than approximately 200 xcexcm. The width may be defined as a lateral dimension of the contact surface in a plane of the contact surface. For example, in one embodiment, the contact surface may have a width of approximately 100 xcexcm. The contact surface may also include an outer edge. The outer edge of the contact surface may have a substantially circular shape or a substantially square shape. Alternatively, the outer edge of the contact surface may have a shape of approximately one fourth of a circle. A length of the first portion of the pin may be greater than approximately 10 xcexcm. The pin may include a metal or another suitable conductive material. For example, the pin may include tungsten carbide, tungsten carbide and stainless steel, and osnium.
In an embodiment, the probe may be a four point probe. For example, the probe may include a pin as described in above embodiments and three additional pins. The probe may be configured to pass a current between a first and a second of the four pins. In addition, the probe may be configured to measure a voltage drop across a third and a fourth of the four pins. The probe may be configured such that the pin and the three additional pins are disposed in a linear array. Alternatively, the pin may be configured such that the pin and the three additional pins are disposed in a two dimensional array. In an embodiment, each of the three additional pins may also be configured as described in above embodiments. For example, contact surfaces of each of the three additional pins may be substantially planar. In addition, contact surfaces of each of the three additional pins may be substantially coplanar with a contact surface of a pin as described in above embodiments. The pin and each of the three additional pins also may be individually coupled to a device such as a spring. In this manner, contact surfaces of the pin as described in above embodiments and contact surfaces of each of the three additional pins may be substantially coplanar during measurement. In addition, a first portion of each of the three additional pins extending from a contact surface of each pin may have a cross-sectional area which may be substantially parallel to the contact surface of each pin. Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of each of the three additional pins may be substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of a pin as described in above embodiments.
In an embodiment, the probe may include only one pin as described above in above embodiments. For example, a conductive portion of the pin may include four conductors. The four conductors may be arranged in a two dimensional array. Each of the four conductors may be coupled to an insulating portion of the pin such that the four conductors may be spaced apart by less than approximately 0.2 mm. The insulating portion of the pin may include an insulating support rod. The pin may also include four conductors coupled by an adhesive insulating material. Alternatively, the pin may include four conductors coupled to an insulating spacer. The adhesive insulating material and the insulating spacer may have thicknesses that may define a space between the four conductors. For example, the adhesive insulating material and the insulating spacer may have thicknesses of less than approximately 0.2 mm.
In an embodiment, the probe may include one of at least two probes coupled to a mounting device. Each of the probes may be configured to measure a property of a conductive layer. Each probe may also be further configured as described in above embodiments. The mounting device may be configured such that one of the probes is in contact with the conductive layer during measurement. The probe may be further configured to measure a property of a conductive layer within less than approximately 3 mm from an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate. For example, the probe may be configured to measure a property of a conductive layer within less than approximately 1 mm from an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate.
An additional embodiment may relate to a method for measuring a property of a conductive layer. The method may include contacting the conductive layer with a pin. The pin may include a contact surface and a first portion extending from the contact surface. The contact surface may be substantially planar. In this manner, contacting the conductive layer may include contacting the conductive layer with substantially an entire surface area of the contact surface. In addition, the first portion may include a cross-sectional area which may be substantially parallel to the contact surface. The cross-sectional area may be substantially equal to a surface area of the contact surface across a length of the first portion. The first portion may extend from the contact surface along an axis which may be substantially perpendicular to the contact surface. In this manner, contacting the conductive layer may include contacting the conductive layer such that the first portion of the pin is substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the conductive layer. The pin may be further configured as described in any of the above embodiments. For example, the pin may be disposed within a probe. As such, the method may also include measuring the property of the conductive layer with the probe while the pin is in contact with the conductive layer.
In an embodiment, the probe may be configured as described in above embodiments. For example, the probe may be a four point probe. In this manner, the probe may include a pin and three additional pins as described in above embodiments. As such, the method may also include contacting the conductive layer with the pin and the three additional pins. In addition, the pin and the three additional pins may be substantially coplanar during measurement of the property of the conductive layer. In an embodiment, measuring the property of the conductive layer may include measuring the property of the conductive layer within less than approximately 3 mm from an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate. For example, the method may include measuring the property of the conductive layer within approximately 1 mm from an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate. The property may include any of the properties which are described herein. In addition, the conductive layer may include any of the conductive layers described herein.
An additional embodiment relates to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device fabricated by the method. The method may include forming a conductive portion of the semiconductor device upon a semiconductor substrate. For example, the conductive portion may include an implanted region of the semiconductor device such as an ultra shallow junction. In addition, the conductive portion may include a conductive layer such as a metallization layer. The method may further include contacting the conductive portion with a pin. The pin may be configured as described herein. Furthermore, the method may include measuring the property of the conductive portion with the probe while the pin is in contact with the conductive portion. For example, the measured property may include sheet resistance or thickness of the conductive layer.
A further embodiment relates to a system configured to measure a property of a conductive layer. The property of the conductive layer may include sheet resistance and/or thickness of the conductive layer. The conductive layer may include any of the conductive layers as described herein. The system may include at least two probes. Each probe may be configured to measure the property of the conductive layer. The system may also include a mounting device. At least the two probes may be coupled to the mounting device. The mounting device may be configured such that one of the probes may contact the conductive layer during measurement. In this manner, multiple probes may be arranged in a single system. The probes may be configured such that each probe may be appropriate for a different type of measurement. For example, a property of a conductive layer, which may be measured with a probe, may depend on characteristics of the probe such as a lateral dimension of the contact surface of pins arranged within the probe. In an embodiment of the system, therefore, different types of measurements may be performed without manually replacing the probes.
In an embodiment, each probe may include four pins. Each probe may be configured to pass a current between a first and a second of the four pins. Each probe may also be configured to measure a voltage drop across a third and a fourth of the four pins. Each of the four pins may include a contact surface. The contact surface of each pin may be configured to contact the conductive layer during measurement. In addition, the contact surface of each pin may substantially planar. Each pin may also include a first portion extending from the contact surface. The first portion of each pin may have a cross-sectional area which may be substantially parallel to the contact surface. The cross-sectional area of each first portion across substantially an entire length of the first portion may be substantially equal to a surface area of the contact surface of each pin. Each pin may be further configured as described herein. The probe may be further configured as described herein.
In an embodiment, the system may be configured to measure a property of a conductive layer within less than approximately 3 mm from an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate. For example, the system may be configured to measure a property of a conductive layer within approximately 1 mm from an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate.
In an embodiment, the mounting device may include a nonlinear external surface. Each probe may be coupled to the mounting device such that a portion of each probe may extend from the nonlinear external surface. The mounting device may be further configured to rotate such that a contact surface of one of the probes may be spaced above an upper surface of the conductive layer. The mounting device may also be configured such that a contact surface of a probe spaced above an upper surface of the conductive layer may be substantially parallel to the upper surface of the conductive layer. For example, the mounting device may be configured to move rotatably around an axis which may be substantially parallel to an upper surface of the conductive layer. In this manner, the mounting device may be configured to position one of the probes above an upper surface of the conductive layer. In addition, the mounting device may be further configured to move linearly to alter a distance between one of the probes and the conductive layer. For example, the mounting device may also be coupled to a motorized device which may be configured to move the mounting device. As such, the mounting device may be configured to contact an upper surface of a conductive layer with a probe positioned above the upper surface of the conductive layer.
In an alternative embodiment, the mounting device may include a planar external surface. The mounting device may be disposed above the conductive layer such that the planar external surface may be substantially parallel to and spaced above an upper surface of a conductive layer. In addition, each of the probes may be coupled to the mounting device such that a portion of each probe may extend from the external surface. In this manner, the mounting device may be configured such that a contact surface of each probe may be spaced above an upper surface of the conductive layer. The mounting device may also be configured such that a contact surface of each probe may be substantially parallel to an upper surface of the conductive layer. The mounting device may also be configured to move rotatably around an axis which may be substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the conductive layer. In this manner, the mounting device may be configured to position one of the probes above an area of interest within a conductive layer. The mounting device may also include a solenoid coupled to each probe. The solenoid may be configured to alter a position of one of the probes such that one of the probes may be in contact with the conductive layer during measurement. For example, the solenoid may be configured to move a probe positioned above a conductive layer toward an upper surface of the conductive layer such that the positioned probe may contact the conductive layer.
In an embodiment, the system may also include at least one resistor pack coupled to the mounting device. The resistor pack may be configured to calibrate electronics of the system such as a voltmeter and a current source. For example, the system may include three probes and three resistor packs. Each of the resistor packs may be configured to calibrate electronics of the system. The system may also include a probe simulator which may be configured to calibrate at least the two probes.
In an additional embodiment, the system may include a stage which may be configured to support a semiconductor substrate. The stage may also be configured to move the semiconductor substrate with respect to the mounting device. The system may also be configured to transfer a semiconductor substrate into the system through a standard mechanical interface (xe2x80x9cSMIFxe2x80x9d) or through a front opening unified pod (xe2x80x9cFOUPxe2x80x9d). For example, the system may be configured to transfer the semiconductor from the SMIF or from the FOUP onto a stage as described above. The conductive layer may be formed on the semiconductor substrate. In this manner, the system may be installed within a substantially completely automated semiconductor fabrication facility. Therefore, the system may be configured to measure a property of a conductive layer formed on a semiconductor substrate having a diameter of approximately 300 mm.
In an embodiment, the system may also include a conditioning plate. The conditioning plate may be formed of ceramic, lapped silicon, or sapphire. The conditioning plate may be configured to move against a surface of at least one of the probes such that contaminants may be removed from the surface. In addition, the system may include a controller computer coupled to the conditioning plate. Controller software executable on the controller computer may be operable to implement a method for controlling the conditioning plate. The system may also include a controller computer coupled to the system. The controller computer may also be coupled to the conditioning plate as described above. The controller computer may also include controller software executable on the controller computer may be operable to implement a method for controlling the system. For example, the controller software may be operable to implement a method for qualifying the probes subsequent to conditioning. Therefore, the system may be configured to perform substantially automated conditioning and qualification of each of the probes. Conditioning and qualification may be an iterative process requiring several cycles before a measurement may be performed. Therefore, an automated conditioning and qualification process may be performed in substantially less time than the time typically required to perform conditioning and qualification manually.
In an embodiment, the controller software may also be operable to implement a method for applying at least two substantially different currents to at least one of the probes. The method may also include measuring a voltage drop of the probe subsequent to applying each current. In addition, the method may include determining a minimum standard deviation of the measured voltage drop and an applied current associated with the determined minimum standard deviation. As such, the controller software may be operable to implement a method for optimizing the current applied to a probe before measuring a property of a conductive layer with the system.
In an embodiment, the controller computer may also be coupled to a mounting device as described in any of the above embodiments. Controller software executable on the controller computer may be operable to implement a method for controlling the mounting device. For example, the controller software may be operable to implement a method for determining an identity and a position of each probe within the mounting device. In addition, the controller software may be operable to implement a method for determining an identity of a probe selected to measure the property of a conductive layer. For example, the method may include receiving input from a user that may be representative of a probe selected to measure the property of a conductive layer. Input from the user may also include a selected program that may include instructions for measuring a property of a conductive layer. The instructions may include an identity of a probe, which may be appropriate for measuring the property of the conductive layer. The method may also include determining a position of the selected probe within the mounting device. In addition, the controller software may be further operable to implement a method for altering a position of the mounting device such that the selected probe may contact the conductive layer during measurement. For example, the controller computer may be coupled to a motorized device coupled to the mounting device. In addition, the controller software may be operable to implement a method for controlling the motorized device to move the mounting device such that the selected probe may contact the conductive layer. As such, the system may be configured to perform substantially automated selection and exchange of probes.
An additional embodiment may relate to a method for measuring a property of a conductive layer. The method may include disposing a probe above a conductive layer. The probe may be coupled to a mounting device. In addition, the mounting device may include at least two probes. The method may also include contacting the conductive layer with the disposed probe. The method may further include measuring the property of the conductive layer with the probe while the probe is in contact with the conductive layer.
The probes may be configured as described in any of the above embodiments. For example, each probe may include four pins. In an embodiment, the method may include passing a current between a first and a second of the four pins. In addition, the method may include measuring a voltage drop across a third and a fourth of the four pins. The method may also include contacting a conductive layer with a contact surface of each of the four pins of a probe disposed above the conductive layer. Alternatively, each probe may include one pin. In this manner, the method may include contacting a conductive layer with a contact surface of one pin of a probe disposed above the conductive layer. Measuring the property of the conductive layer may include measuring a property of a conductive layer within less than approximately 3 mm from an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate. For example, measuring the property of the conductive layer may include measuring a property of a conductive layer within approximately 1 mm from an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate.
In an embodiment, the mounting device may include a nonlinear external surface. In addition, each probe may be coupled to the mounting device such that a portion of each probe may extend from the nonlinear external surface. In this manner, the method may include rotating the mounting device such that a contact surface of one of the probes may be spaced above an upper surface of the conductive layer. In addition, the method may include rotating the mounting device such that a contact surface of a probe spaced above an upper surface of a conductive layer may be substantially parallel to the upper surface of the conductive layer. For example, disposing the probe above the conductive layer may include rotating the mounting device around an axis that may be substantially parallel to an upper surface of the conductive layer. As such, the mounting device may be configured to position one of the probes above an upper surface of the conductive layer. In addition, contacting the conductive layer with the disposed probe may include moving the mounting device linearly to alter a distance between one of the probes and the conductive layer. For example, the method may include moving the mounting device with a motorized device. As such, the method may include contacting an upper surface of a conductive layer with a probe positioned above the upper surface of the conductive layer.
In an alternative embodiment, the mounting device may include a substantially planar external surface. The mounting device may be disposed above the conductive layer such that the substantially planar external surface may be substantially parallel to and spaced above an upper surface of a conductive layer. In addition, each of the probes may be coupled to the mounting device such that a portion of each probe may extend from the external surface. The portion of each probe extending from the external surface may include at least a contact surface of the probe. In this manner, the method may include disposing a contact surface of a probe above an upper surface of the conductive layer. In addition, the mounting device may be disposed above an upper surface of a conductive layer such that a contact surface of each probe is substantially parallel to an upper surface of the conductive layer. Disposing the probe above the conductive layer may include rotating the mounting device around an axis which may be substantially perpendicular to an upper surface of the conductive layer. In this manner, the method may include positioning one of the probes above an area of interest within a conductive layer. The mounting device may also include a solenoid coupled to each probe. Contacting the conductive layer with the probe may include altering a position of one of the probes such that one of the probes may be in contact with the conductive layer during measurement.
In an embodiment, the method may include calibrating electronics of the system with at least one resistor pack. The resistor pack may be coupled to the mounting device. In addition, the method may include calibrating at least one of the probes with a probe simulator. In an additional embodiment, the method may include supporting a semiconductor substrate with a stage. The method may also include moving a semiconductor substrate with respect to the mounting device with a stage. The method may further include transferring a semiconductor substrate into the system from a SMIF or from a FOUP to a stage. The conductive layer may be formed on the semiconductor substrate.
In an embodiment, the method may include moving a conditioning plate against a surface of a probe to remove contaminants from a contact surface of pins in the probe. In addition, the method may include controlling the conditioning plate with controller software executable on a controller computer to remove contaminants from a surface of a probe. The controller computer may be configured as described herein. In addition, the method may include qualifying a probe subsequent to conditioning with controller software executable on a controller computer. In an embodiment, the method may include controlling the system with controller software executable on a controller computer. For example, controlling the system may include applying at least two substantially different currents to a probe. Controlling the system may also include measuring a voltage drop of the probe subsequent to applying each current. In addition, controlling the system may include determining a minimum standard deviation of the measured voltage drop and an applied current associated with the determined minimum standard deviation. As such, the method may include controlling the system to optimize a current applied to a probe prior to measuring a property of a conductive layer with the probe.
In an embodiment, the method may include controlling the mounting device with controller software executable on a controller computer. In addition, the method may include determining an identity and a position of each probe within the mounting device with controller software executable on the controller computer. The method may also include determining an identity of a probe selected to measure the property of a conductive layer and a position of the selected probe within the mounting device with controller software executable on a controller computer. For example, the method may include receiving input from a user that may be representative of a probe selected to measure the property of a conductive layer. Input from the user may also include a selected program that may include instructions for measuring a property of a conductive layer. The instructions may include an identity of a probe that may be used for measuring the property of the conductive layer. In addition, disposing the probe above the conductive layer may include altering a position of the mounting device within controller software executable on a controller computer such that the selected probe is disposed above the conductive layer.
Additional embodiments may relate to a method for fabricating a semiconductor device and a semiconductor device fabricated by the method. The method may include forming a conductive portion of the semiconductor device upon a semiconductor substrate. The method may also include disposing a probe above the conductive portion. The probe may be configured as described above. For example, the probe may be coupled to a mounting device. In addition, the mounting device may be configured as described in above embodiments. For example, the mounting device may include at least two probes. The method may further include contacting the conductive portion with the disposed probe. Furthermore, the method may include measuring the property of the conductive portion with the probe while the probe is in contact with the conductive portion of the semiconductor device.
An additional embodiment may relate to a computer-implemented method for controlling a system configured to measure a property of a conductive layer. The method may include controlling the system to dispose a probe above the conductive layer. The probe may be coupled to a mounting device. The mounting device may include at least two probes. The probe and the mounting device may also be further configured as described in above embodiments. The method may also include controlling the system to contact the conductive layer with the disposed probe. In addition, the method may include measuring a property of a conductive layer with the probe in contact with the conductive layer. Furthermore, the computer-implemented method may include any of the embodiments as described above. For example, the computer-implemented method may include controlling a conditioning plate to remove contaminants from a surface of at least one of the probes.
In an additional embodiment, a system may include at least two probes, a mounting device, a controller computer coupled to at least the mounting device, and controller software executable on the controller computer. The controller software may be operable to implement a computer-controlled method to control the mounting device. The controller software may also be operable to implement a computer-controlled method to control additional components of the system such as a conditioning plate and a stage. In an embodiment, the computer-controlled method may be implemented by program instructions which may be computer-executable and may be incorporated into a carrier medium.